“Medicare is not the piggy bank for other programs. We’ve already seen what sequester has meant for the program. We’ve written to Congress because there’s just not enough awareness on this issue. Across the board cuts affects the integrity of the Medicare program.” Rich Fiesta, Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Director

“The use of Medicare cuts, 700 million dollars of Medicare cuts, to finance a program totally unrelated to Medicare sets a terrible precedent. It’s not death by a thousand cuts but that’s where we seem to be headed. I think it’s interesting that many of the same members of Congress who condemned Obamacare and decried savings in the Medicare program as cuts–savings which were, by the way, plowed right back into the program to provide preventive screenings, close the Part D donut hole and extend the program’s solvency–are now some of the same legislators who want to really cut money from Medicare to pay for an unrelated program.” Max Richtman, National Committee President/CEO

Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Task Force on Seniors are leading the charge against this proposal:

“10,000 people a day turn 65. We should be investing and expanding Medicare not stealing from it. People have paid into this program and expect it to be there…not to use that to fund anytime we need money to pay for another program…Medicare is not the ATM for everything Congress wants to pay for. Cutting this social insurance program isn’t the direction we should be going in. Medicare should not be the pay-for for trade deal. The best way to help workers is to stop trade deals that take their jobs…not cut Medicare to fund fixes.” Rep. Jan Shakowsky (D-IL)

“There’s going to be untold riches earned if TPP is enacted into law. There’s no doubt about that. Great profits will be derived for large international corporations…it seems only logical that the multinationals should fund the costs of the Trade Adjustment Assistance. I can not abide this. We’ll fight it with everything we have.” Keith Ellison (D-MN)

Reps. Ellison and Schakowsky say many of their colleagues don’t even realize this Medicare cut was slipped into the Trade Assistance provision. They’re raising the alarm but hope seniors and their families will also call and email their Members of Congress now since the debate is underway.